Nice Looking Girl

After spending the dark and gloomy winter months indoors, hiding out from the rainy, sleety, snowy and miserable cold and eating lunch at the company cafeteria I always look forward to spring and warmer temperatures so I can eat my lunch outdoors.

There is something about springtime that renews the soul. The sunshine, the warm gentle breeze, budding flowers and trees all heighten expectations for good things happening and this year was certainly no different. It didn’t take long before my annual habit of eating my bagged lunch at the local park kicked in again. It was a nice way to escape the conference calls, questions from management, complaints from customers and questions from employees that reminded me why the job paid so well.

I had a supervisor several years ago that liked to remind me that if the job were easy, he could hire the janitor to do it for $5 an hour. Luckily I earn more than that, but unfortunately he was right, it is not easy.

City parks are a flurry of activity in springtime. Senior citizens walk lap after lap around the “loop” to get some exercise, landscaping crews mulch, trim weed and mow grass, co-eds from the college with their IPods arrive after morning classes. There are housewives walking the loop with cell phones to ear, grandmothers and father, mom's and daughters, babysitters and other caregivers of every age, shape and size bring their preschool kids to the park to work out some of the childish and nervous energy before putting them down for their afternoon nap in exchange for a few hours of quiet time and maybe get the dishes washed or a few loads of laundry cleaned and folded.

I always choose a picnic table near the parking lot, but very near the lake to enjoy my daily ritual. It offers a nice view of the deeper water near the spillway, but it is also close enough to the walking loop for people watching.

I saw her the first time a few weeks ago and she was beautiful. Long, lean and good looking; she was the best I'd seen in ages, but definitely a shy girl. She would hang out for a while and I’d watch her, but then bolt toward the other side of the park on the shallow end of the lake where it was covered with lily pads and cattails concealing the view. No amount of neck bending, torso twisting, or eye squinting would make it any better. I could only hope she’d be there the next day again. I started looking forward to these daily meetings from afar and dreamed of the day I’d make my move and see her closer up.

I decided to try again on a Saturday in early May. Spring transitions into summer way too soon and with the rising temperatures she may go elsewhere in the heat. The time had come to take control and go for it or regret the missed opportunity and what might have been.

Countless nights awake thinking about her until I fell asleep. I dreamed of her a lot. The dreams made it all seem so vivid and real, but the morning alarm signaling the pending sunrise returned me to reality. I offered my bait and waited hoping this would be the day I finally caught her.

It didn't take long before the planning was rewarded. I caught her - all pre-spawned 33 pounds 11 ounces of her. She was my new personal best.